Joint meeting of APPGs on Disability, Autism, Carers, Complex Needs and Dual Diagnosis, Learning Disability, MS Society, Parkinson’s, Visual Impairment and Eye Health.

Maria Miller MP, Minister for Disabled people, and Anthea Cox, Director of the Learning Disability Coalition (click here for her speech), are among those who spoke at the meeting.

This was a packed event with a change of room that still overflowed.

The main issues facing the minister were

• ESA & the one year time restriction.
   
• DLA & removal of mobility component for those in public funded residential care.
• Impact of the cuts to local councils and impact on care and social service provision.

Lord Rix made the point that the changes assume that we live in an equal society and that disabled people are treated fairly. That was clearly not the case and that of itself meant the cuts to support were targeted at those treated less equally to start with.

Lady Masham raised the point on who assesses the assessor's.

The Chair of the APPG Autism raised the issue of her group concerning people with this disability and the Work Capability Assessment.

The Chair of the APPG on Human Rights mentioned that there may be legal challenge using Equality / Disability & European law. He asked for the Equality Impact Assessments. He also asked about redundancies in the Public sector and protection for disabled employee's

There was concern that the policies would impact the disabled as employers would be able to pick & choose to the disadvantage of disabled employee's. Furthermore that the changes to ESA would, after a year, deliver a further financial hit to those in the Work Related Activity Group. Concern over predicted growth.

Many members of the commons and lords raised the issue of mobility, how this would be funded with the removal of DLA mobility from those in residential care. The money saved was small £135m. That the measures were not just financially regressive but regressive when it came to rights.

The minster, Maria Miller, asked people to look at all the cuts and reminded the room of the financial background. She said she would make the Equality Impact Assessments for all the DWP changes available and was keen to be transparent.

She mentioned the new "Work Choice" programme.

On the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) she reminded the APPG that the report from the Harrington Enquiry was due by the end of the year with further assessments on the progress of the WCA every year for 5 years to ensure it is working correctly.

If RADAR publish the meeting notes I will edit this story so you will be able to see the full debate. ** Update 4th Nov Click here for the meeting notes courtesy of Marje of RADAR **

The minister was fully aware from the questions raised by members of the commons and Lords, as well as the reaction from the audience, of the strength of feeling. Though as you would expect the reactions and debate were wholly civil.

As Lady Campbell, in the Chair, mentioned. The issues would no doubt continue to be raised moving forward.